Key identifying tag



Oct. 27, 1936. A. H. GOLDEN KEY IDENTIFYING TAG Filed 061'. 12, .1954

[NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES KEY IDENTIFYING TAG Abraham H. Golden, Stamford, Conn, assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 12, 1934, Serial No. 748,034

2 Claims. (01. -2)

This application relates to key identifying tags. In the selling of locks, it is the general-commercial practice-to supply twokeys held together by a thin wire, each key bearing a number on its bow which designates to the manufacturer the particular section of the key" and the" bitting thereof. When supplied with this number, a manufacturer consults-'his-code book, and'is able to make a duplicate key. This'service is only intendedfor'tho'se customers who have lost their keys and are able to supply. the manufacturer with proper credentialsi In the: small locksmith shop; a'. duplicate. key is obtained only by the duplication of the original customers key.

During the last few years there have been developed in the key bitting art small commercial machines which operate according to codes and which are sold to small locksmith shops. In such machines, a duplicate key may be made without the use of the original key, the operator of the machine being able to determine the bitting by reference to a code book. Since these machines are of no value without code books, the manufacturers of the bitting machines, through one way or another, have obtained sufficient information on which to compile code books. Locksmiths may determine through reference to one of these code books, the bittings of a key and the section of a key corresponding to a particular number. In this way, they are able to supply a key to anyone indicating a particular number, provided that the code book compiler has been able to secure the information regarding the key change corresponding to that number.

Manufacturers of locks and keys have tried to keep their codes secret so as to prevent information from falling into the hands of thieves and other under-world characters who might utilize this information to their great advantage. While they have been successful in many instances in concealing this information, the compilers of key codes have been sufficiently clever so that they have been able to get up books of codes which are of some value.

With the prevailing system of placing the key number on the key bow, it is possible for a dishonest person to notice the number of a key which may for the moment have come into his possession, and then go to a code bitting machine operator who will immediateh give him a duplicate key. In order to stop this practice, manufacturers are beginning to make keys without any numbers on them whatsoever. Such a practice is objectionable because the customer wishes to know the number of his key, should helose the same and require a duplicate key himself.

Some manufacturers have, therefore, adopted the practice of putting the key number on en velopes containing the keys, but this has proved 5 unsatisfactory. Others have supplied their keys with readily removable portions on which they stamp the key number, and which portions are to be removed at the time of the purchase of the key. This latter system is ineifective because a great 10 many purchasers do not remove the number bearingrportiomand, furthermore, the removal of the number bearing .portionleaves a sharp edge.

I propose by my invention to contribute to the art an effective way of supplying a key with a 15 number and making it practically impossible to utilize the key in the ordinary Way without removal of the number first.

In my invention I contemplate stamping out a portion of the bow of the key and placing in the stamped-out portion a number bearing tag to be held frictionally therein and readily removable by pressure. While I prefer to use a separate piece as the tag, this readily removable portion may readily be part of the key bow and be 25 stamped out during the forming of the key bow.

I propose to put a very small hole through the key identifying tag whereby a wire may be utilized for tying it to the lock or to a duplicate key, keys being sold in pairs as was indicated previously. I propose to maintain the hole in the key tag of such small size that it will be impossible, however, to insert a key ring therethrough or any other key holding device. Therefore, before a user may place a key of my inven- 35 tion on a key ring or other key holder, he must first remove the key identifying tag. It is intended, of course, that he note the key identifying number before he removes the tag and throws it away. 40

In a modification I use a mutilated tag which forms an opening with a surface of the stampedout portion of the bow so as to afford a passage for a wire. I shall now refer to the drawing for a more detailed description of my invention.

Fig. 1 shows a key blank from which has been stamped a portion to allow for the insertion of a key identifying tag. Fig. 2 illustrates one type of key identifying tag while Fig. 3 illustrates a second type. Fig. 4 illustrates a key with the identifying tag inserted therein and a wire passing through the hole in the tag. Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of a key identifying tag in a key body, the tag being of the type shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows the method of removing the tag from its normal position. Fig. '7 illustrates a full-sized key ring passed through the key body after the tag has been removed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral [0 indicates a key having a bow H which has a stamped-out opening at [2. The stamped-out portion may be maintained in the key bow by having the cutting tool mutilated at one particular point. I prefer, however, to have the cut-out portion I2 punched out by a tool and the punched portion discarded. In Fig. 2, I show one type of identifying tag l3, and in Fig. 3 I show a second form M. It will be noticed that the tag l3 has a cut-away portion l5 which cooperates with a part of the cut-out portion of the bow as will be shown with reference to Fig. 5. The tag I4 is pierced at l6 for the passage of a wire as is best shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 4 the tag of Fig. 3 is shown frictionally retained in the key body ll. Its pierced hole [6 is traversed by a wire I! by which it may be fastened to a second key or to a lock as the case may be. It will be understood that the hole I6 is much too small, however, to allow for the passage of the ordinary key ring well known in the art.

In Fig. 5, I show the key tag l3 in position, its cut-out portion l5 cooperating with a surface of the cut-out portion 12 of the body to form a hole through which a. wire may pass in the same manner as in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 6, I illustrate a tool l8 forcing the tag I3 out of retained position in the key body ll.

In Fig. '7, I show how a key ring l9 may, after the removal of either of the key tags l3 or ll, be inserted in the cut-out portion 12 as will be readily understood. While I have shown two modifications of my contribution to this art, it should be understood that other variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art and that I do not wish to be limited in my monopoly except along the lines set forth in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. A key having a bow with a cut-out portion therein, a key identifying tag in said cut-out portion, means whereby said key identifying tag is maintained for ready removal from said cut-out portion, said tag being cut-away internally so as to form an opening through which may pass a thin key holding Wire, said key tag when removed leaving a relatively large opening in said bow allowing for the insertion of a commercialsize key ring.

2. A key comprising a shank having means for actuating the tumblers of a lock upon insertion of the shank into the lock, a head attached to the shank by which the key may be manipulated and which is exteriorly of the look when the key is in use, said head having an opening therethrough, a part removably fitted within said opening and having key identification indicia delineated thereon, and said part having a smaller Opening therethrough by which the key may be connected to a holding means.

ABRAHAM I-I. GOLDEN. 

